Immigration drama is most shared story of 2011

SFGate’s most shared story of 2011–a human drama involving immigration laws and same-sex marriage–doesn’t have an ending yet.

In August, Carolyn Lochhead reported on the threatened deportation of Anthony John Makk, a San Francisco man from Australia who is the primary caregiver to his AIDS-afflicted spouse, Bradford Wells. The story struck a nerve, getting more than 75,000 Facebook shares and prompting a congressional effort to let him stay.

Steve Ralls of Immigration Equality said this week that his group’s appeal of the government’s decision to deny Anthony’s green card is pending. “In addition, Congresswoman (Nancy) Pelosi and Senator (Dianne) Feinstein remain engaged on the case, and have been working very hard, on Bradford and Anthony’s behalf, to ensure a favorable outcome that will allow Anthony to remain in the United States.”

Two other widely shared stories didn’t happen at all. East Bay minister Harold Camping made a famous prediction that the world would end in May, then changed it to October, then…does anybody care? And a threatened snowstorm at sea level in February produced only flurries in the hills. It did, however, provide us with a reason for running classic photos of rare Bay Area snowstorms.

Sensei Keiko Fukuda of S.F. became the first woman to be promoted to judo's highest level. (Chronicle/Lance Iversen)

A surprise hit was a feel-good story about Sensei Keiko Fukuda of San Francisco, who at age 98 became the first woman to be promoted to judo’s highest level, 10th-degree black belt.